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The importance of good indoor air quality
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) "Air pollution from both outdoor and indoor sources represents the single largest environmental risk to health globally", and causes 7 million deaths a year, worldwide.
On average, people spend 90% of their lives indoors (and some, such as the elderly, even more). This has caused the level of indoor air pollutants to increase 2-5 times higher than outdoor levels. Indoor air pollution can lead to serious short and long-term health problems. There has also been growing evidence that air pollution impacts mental health and may be a factor in conditions such depression and bipolar disorder. It may also have a detrimental effect on children's learning ability, patient recovery and workforce productivity. For building owners, poor indoor air quality (and poor indoor environments in general) can hit the bottom line: demands from leaseholders and tenants can result in having to carry out costly remedial works to both the building fabric and M&E systems (from lighting to climate control). This can lead to higher running costs and potentially affect market and rental values.
Why choose Daikin?
As a global leader in the HVAC-R industry, we rely on more than 90 years of experience and expertise to deliver the highest quality solutions and services.
The Daikin air filtration unit upholds our promise to provide cleaner and healthier indoor climates in homes, offices and commercial spaces around the world. Because our care for the planet is absolute, our air purifiers are designed with the latest technology to consume less energy and reduce their environmental impact. Our commitment to quality also means providing the best service experience for our customers. From on-site support and installations to troubleshooting and maintenance, our experts are here to help you achieve the perfect climate.
Air Filtration Unit
Daikin's air filtration unit is equipped with 3-stage filteration including 99.99% efficient HEPA filters. It is a portable, with nominal 1000 CFM, air filtration unit designed to serve small to medium-sized facilities like health care facilities to quickly and inexpensively convert standard patient rooms to negative pressure isolation rooms. It also helps any conditioned space as a recirculating device that provides equivalent outdoor air changes (ACH) to eliminate air borne infections.
Product Highlights
Air Filtration unit can be operated in any of the below modes:
1. 100 % Exhaust
2. 100% Recirculating
This powerful unit is equipped with an EC Fan with variable speed control and can deliver airflow from 300 CFM to 1000 CFM. The EC Fan ensures lower sound levels and high efficiency.
› Compact Vertical Design with Footprint 0.35 m2
› Nominal Airflow 1000 CFM, able to provide 12 ACH in Rooms up to 5000 Cubic Feet
› Casing 1.0 mm thick prepainted Galvanized steel in RAL 9002 smooth finish
› Other RAL color options available for the casing
› Casing insulated with Acoustic insulation
› 3 Stages Filtration with UV lamp
› HEPA filter auto scan tested as per EN 1822
› Indication Lights for unit running and HEPA Filter dirty warning
Applications: The air filtration unit purifies and cleans the air of the spaces that matter most.
Conference Rooms
Healthcare Facilities
Sanitizing Hotel Rooms
Commercial Centers
Fitness Centers
Hotel Lobby
Guide Specifications DAFU 1000
Unit Construction: Vertical design with unit casing made of 1.0 mm thick prepainted galvanized steel in smooth white finish (RAL 9002). Unit should be insulated with 25mm thick acoustic insulation. Insulation should have excellent resistance to bacteria and fungi with low VOC levels. Safety guards should be provided on the unit Inlet and outlet complying with OSHA regulations. Unit should be portable with heavy-duty casters for easy movement.
Prefilter: Prefilters should be available with minimum MERV 8 efficiency classification. Filter efficiency should be documented with test results from an independent, third-party test laboratory. Prefilters should have the highest dust-holding capacity (DHC) to ensure longer life for the filter. Filters should be UL-classified.
Carbon Filter: Carbon filters should be pleated panel type made of activated carbon media and effective against odors. Filters should be UL-classified.
Fan: Fan should be EC fans with high-efficiency backward curved impeller made of aluminium blades. Motors should have minimum IP44 protection.
UV Lamp: High efficiency and high output UV lamp (254 nm) should be provided to inactivate viruses, bacteria and fungi.
Filtration Stages: Unit should be equipped with 3-stage filtration along with UV lamps.
HEPA Filter: HEPA filters should be H14 with 99.99% efficiency. Filter media should have a chemical-resistant anodized aluminum frame. Filters should be UL-classified. HEPA Filter should be mounted as the last component of the unit up-stream of the fan.
Transition Plate [Accessory]: This is desigend for 100% exhaust application. Transition plate should be provided to easily connect the unit discharge to 10" diameter flexible duct.
Unit Control and Operation: Below should be provided as a minimum for the unit control and operation:
• On/Off Switch with green light to indicate that the unit is on and working
• Red light to indicate HEPA filter is dirty and needs replacement.
• Manual speed controller to provide infinitely variable speed control between 0% and 100%
Daikin Air Filtration Unit 1000 LeafletPDF | 3.24MB
DAFU 1000 Installation and Operation ManualPDF | 3.02MB
Air Filtration Unit_DAFU 1000_FR CataloguePDF | 26.94MB


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All official European Union website addresses are in the europa.eu domain.
See all EU institutions and bodiesDo something for our planet, print this page only if needed. Even a small action can make an enormous difference when millions of people do it!
The rapid response of the Commission to the decision of last March's European Council shows a clear determination to sharply reduce emissions of greenhouse gases by at least 20 % between 1990 and 2020. The proposed package, including effort sharing amongst EU Member States, is an important step in the context of the post-2012 global climate change negotiations
EEA Executive Director Prof. Jacqueline McGlade
'The rapid response of the Commission to the decision of last March's European Council shows a clear determination to sharply reduce emissions of greenhouse gases by at least 20 % between 1990 and 2020. The proposed package, including effort sharing amongst EU Member States, is an important step in the context of the post-2012 global climate change negotiations'. These discussions are expected to conclude in Copenhagen by the end of 2009.
The Climate action and renewable energy package is a bundle of legislative proposals intended to fight global warming and limit the increased dependence of the European Union on imported energy. The package addresses renewable energies, including biofuels; how the overall EU greenhouse gas target will be shared between Member States; a revision of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS), and a directive proposal on how to implement carbon capture and storage at power generation plants.
The EEA strongly supports the proposal for an overall binding target of a 20 % share of renewable energy in the total final energy consumption in the EU, recognising that a significant increase compared to the current level is needed to achieve the 2020 climate objectives, while, at the same time, contributing to enhance the security of energy supply in Europe.
'The key to getting the most out of these targets is to ensure that the highest possible GHG emission reduction is achieved, particularly if we want to see 10 % of road transport running on biofuels by 2020. I believe that there is now a need for further discussion on the sustainability criteria for biofuels in the legislative proposal. These criteria must ensure that biodiversity, water and soil are protected, and not just within Europe, but also in developing countries which are likely to become major biofuels exporters.'
The Commission package improves the EU Emission Trading Scheme (EU ETS), the largest GHG emission trading scheme worldwide. This system is a pioneer tool to achieve carbon emission reductions from large installations using fossil fuel. Further efforts to link the EU ETS to other similar trading systems in third countries also contribute to worldwide greenhouse gas reduction measures. 'Setting an EU-wide cap on emissions from the trading sector and an increased use of auctioning of carbon allowances can help meet the 2020 emission reduction targets in a cost-effective way'.
Professor McGlade confirms that climate change adaptation and mitigation are top priorities for the EEA. She underlines that decision makers will continue to get timely and accurate information on these important issues.
For references, please go to https://www.eea.europa.eu/highlights/energy-package or scan the QR code.
PDF generated on 02 Mar 2024, 02:26 AM
Engineered by: EEA Web Team
Software updated on 26 September 2023 08:13 from version 23.8.18
Software version: EEA Plone KGS 23.9.14

subset: commoncrawl


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Treasure Ireland
If, as we are told, everything is on the budgetary table, why is there no place for an increase in the corporate tax rate? By Michael Taft.
We are constantly assured (warned) that 'everything is on the table'. All manner of tax increases and spending cuts are being considered, and none are ruled out in principle. So, goes the script. There is one issue, however, that is not on the table. It is not even in the room. It is not even in the house or lurking around the grounds. And that issue is the corporate tax rate. Why?If we increased the corporate tax rate, this would undermine our ability to attract foreign direct investment. This, in turn, would result in fewer jobs being created and put current jobs at risk; further, it would lower exports which would skewer our balance of payments. All that value-added and economic activity would be jeopardised.
Before we confront this argument, let's first look at how successful multinationals (MNCs) are in racking up profits in Ireland (also, this analysis from Michael Burke is worth a read). From this, we might get a sense of how sensitive they would be to an increase in the corporate tax rate. For, in truth, they are really really racking up the profits.
Ireland is not just a league-leader, it is off the chart. MNCs here make more than four times the profit per employees than the average of the other EU-15 countries reporting (no data for Belgium or Greece). No wonder more and more multinationals are making Ireland their home. It should be noted that this Eurostat data does not include the financial sector, so the massive profits being made in the IFSC are not included. Nor does the above include taxation – we'll come to this later.
Not only are MNC profits high in Ireland, they are resilient. 2009 was the year that saw global profitability fall. But not in Ireland. Whereas in 2009 profits fell in the other EU-13 countries by an average of 17%, in Ireland they fell by less than 1%.
This is just the overview – let's look at some key MNC sectors in Ireland. In the Manufacturing and Information & Communication sectors, Irish MNC profits are through the roof.
In the Manufacturing sector, MNC profitability in Ireland is nearly ten times that of MNCs in other countries. In Information & Communication, the ratio is more than three-to-one.
In other sectors, MNCs in Ireland also exceed the EU average but not to the same degree.
In each of these sectors – particularly retail and transport – MNC profits in Ireland significantly exceed the average of other countries.
Only in two sectors – the Professional & Scientific and Accommodation – is MNC profit in Ireland lower than the average of other EU countries. These two sectors, however, are relatively small, making up less than 2% of the turnover of all MNCs in Ireland.
Another insight is MNC by home country. US multinationals have a strong presence in Ireland – making up nearly two-thirds of all MNC turnover in Ireland. American MNCs take €240,000 in profit per employee here in Ireland; in the other EU countries, they take only €31,800. More interesting, despite the global recession, American MNCs increased their profit per employee in 2009 by over 8% in Ireland. In other EU countries, American MNCs suffered a loss of nearly 21%.
Another, albeit smaller category, is MNCs owned by 'offshore financial centres' (OFCs). One would assume that these would be primarily involved in the financial sector. But the data here refers to the non-financial business sector. These OFCs are still relatively small (making up only 3% of all MNC turnover in Ireland). But they are growing In the dark days of 2009, OFCs saw their turnover nearly double over 2008, with the number of OFCs operating in Ireland also doubling. And no wonder: they take nearly €61,000 in profits per employed in Ireland while in other countries this figure is nearly half - €34,300.
Of course, there is an Alice-in-Wonderland character to all these numbers. Profits, turnover, value-added – these are all distorted by transfer pricing. MNCs do not actually produce these levels of profit in Ireland - not all of them; they 'report' a considerable level of profit here, taking advantage of transfer-pricing in order to exploit our ultra-low corporate tax rates and the facility to engage in global tax avoidance (which is why a US Senate Committee described Ireland as a tax haven – see page 30).
But we should also take note: all of the above reports profits before tax. If we had an after-tax figure, we'd find the gap between MNCs in Ireland and the other EU countries grow even wider. For instance, Germany comes second when it comes to MNC profit per employee, at €42,600. On that they pay a headline corporate tax rate of 30%. In Ireland, with MNCs taking €110,600 per employee, the headline rate is 12.5%. Yes, the effective tax rate (after reliefs and allowances) will be lower – but it will be lower for both countries.
Profits are rising in Ireland. They increased by 4% in 2010 and 7% in 2011. According to the CSO, this is largely accruing to multinationals.
So here is a question: if all things are on the budgetary table, why is there no place for an increase in the corporate tax rate? This would not undermine pre-tax profits, and even if it were raised by a mere 2.5%, it would still be lower – much lower – than almost any other European country.
And here is another question: where in Europe, indeed the world, can MNCs make as much profit as in Ireland even if the corporate tax rate were increased?
So, why is the issue of the corporate tax rate taboo? That's an easy question to answer: because it has been elevated to almost metaphysical status. In the Dail the Taoiseach stated piously:
"The key elements of the Jobs Initiative included: reaffirming, as the Minister for Finance repeated yesterday, that our 12.5% corporate tax rate remains sacrosanct…"
To declare something sacrosanct is not an invitation to debate. It is a threat. For to challenge the sacrosanct is to engage in heresy, blasphemy, apostasy.
So suck it up. Cut homecare help, bash low-paid workers (public and private), slash social protection, close down services, tax average income earners even more. But don't anyone dare mention the holy of holies – the corporate tax rate.


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Our Earth Is Old!
We know that the Earth is very old. It is more than four billion years old. Scientists figured out the Earths age by studying rocks. The rocks that you find near your house, in a park, or at school are all different ages. Some are quite young, made in the past few million years. Others are quite old many millions or even billions of years old.
There is a special sort of calendar that shows geologic time. Its called the geologic time scale. The geologic time scale shows the 4.6 billion years of geologic time along a timeline that is divided into sections. Broad sections of time are called Eras and smaller sections of time are called Periods. Having names for the different sections of time helps people talk about when events happened long ago such as when a dinosaur lived, when a volcano erupted, or when an asteroid hit.


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Clean decks, high-quality equipment, perfect fitting and quick service is guaranteed. Our team�s experience will help you deliver an excellent party that is loved by your guests. Call us for professional service.
(indoor use only)
A classic party needs a lot of setups. We provide the different range of dance floors, stage and other flooring options that will take your event to the next level. We have different size of stage and runway arrangements that are in perfect condition.


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2012 Theses Doctoral
Simulations of Dynamic Relativistic Magnetospheres
Neutron stars and black holes are generally surrounded by magnetospheres of highly conducting plasma in which the magnetic flux density is so high that hydrodynamic forces are irrelevant. In this vanishing-inertia---or ultra-relativistic---limit, magnetohydrodynamics becomes force-free electrodynamics, a system of equations comprising only the magnetic and electric fields, and in which the plasma response is effected by a nonlinear current density term. In this dissertation I describe a new pseudospectral simulation code, designed for studying the dynamic magnetospheres of compact objects. A detailed description of the code and several numerical test problems are given. I first apply the code to the aligned rotator problem, in which a star with a dipole magnetic field is set rotating about its magnetic axis. The solution evolves to a steady state, which is nearly ideal and dissipationless everywhere except in a current sheet, or magnetic field discontinuity, at the equator, into which electromagnetic energy flows and is dissipated. Magnetars are believed to have twisted magnetospheres, due to internal magnetic evolution which deforms the crust, dragging the footpoints of external magnetic field lines. This twisting may be able to explain both magnetars' persistent hard X-ray emission and their energetic bursts and flares. Using the new code, I simulate the evolution of relativistic magnetospheres subjected to slow twisting through large angles. The field lines expand outward, forming a strong current layer; eventually the configuration loses equilibrium and a dynamic rearrangement occurs, involving large-scale rapid magnetic reconnection and dissipation of the free energy of the twisted magnetic field. When the star is rotating, the magnetospheric twisting leads to a large increase in the stellar spin-down rate, which may take place on the long twisting timescale or in brief explosive events, depending on where the twisting is applied and the history of the system. One such explosive field-expansion and reconnection event may have been responsible for the 27 August 1998 giant flare from SGR 1900+14, and the coincident sudden increase in spin period, or "braking glitch." The inner magnetospheres of relativistic compact objects are in strongly curved spacetimes. I describe the extension of the code to general-relativistic simulations, including the hypersurface foliation method and the 3+1 equations of force-free electrodynamics in curved, evolving spacetimes. A simple test problem for dynamical behavior in the Schwarzschild metric is presented, and the evolutions of the magnetospheres surrounding neutron stars and black holes, in vacuum and in force-free plasma, are compared.
- Parfrey_columbia_0054D_10916.pdf application/pdf 12 MB Download File
More About This Work
- Academic Units
- Astronomy
- Thesis Advisors
- Beloborodov, Andrei M.
- Hui, Lam
- Degree
- Ph.D., Columbia University
- Published Here
- August 29, 2012


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SBC Mattress Company
BedTech's Line of Premium Mattresses
Cooling. Comfortable. High-quality. High-quality. GhostBed has over 20 years of experience in the mattress business. They are known for their award-winning, USA made mattresses and a 20- to 25 year warranty. Each CertiPUR-US(r) Certified GhostBed mattress includes cooling technology for a more comfortable sleep, along with luxurious details and durable materials for a long-lasting investment
Bossier City ( BOH-zhər) is a city in Bossier Parish in the northwestern region of the U.S. state of Louisiana in the United States. It is the second most populous city in the Shreveport–Bossier City metropolitan statistical area. In 2020, it had a total population of 62,701 up from 61,315 in 2010.Located on the eastern bank of the Red River, Bossier City is closely tied economically and socially to its larger sister city Shreveport on the opposite bank, though the city maintains its own community college (Bossier Parish Community College). Bossier City is the largest city in Louisiana that is not the parish seat. == History == === 19th century === In the 1830s, the area of Bossier City was the plantation Elysian Grove, which was purchased by James Cane and his second wife Mary Doal Cilley Bennett Cane.
Airline Park Estates, Allendale-Lakeside, Arlatex, Bellaire, Bodcau, Broadmoor, Anderson Island, Shreve Isle, Brownlee Estates, Caddo Heights, South Highlands, Cane's Landing, Caplis, Carriage Oaks, Cedar Grove, Chasewood, Coleman Park, Downtown Riverfront


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Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) - Someone has stolen a life-size bronze bust of John F. Kennedy that's been on display for decades at a downtown Tucson park, city officials said Tuesday.
Officials said the bust that depicts JFK wearing a coat and tie was ripped clean off its granite base at Presidio Plaza. The bust measures 1 foot, 8 inches in height. Together with the base, it stood about 6 feet tall.
A city parks employee discovered the headless pedestal and reported it Monday.
El Presidio Park is equipped with live surveillance cameras that don't record, so the theft wasn't captured on video.
The bust originally was unveiled on Nov. 22, 1964, exactly one year after Kennedy's assassination. It cost $1,000 and was paid for by the Pima County Democratic party, the Arizona Daily Star reported. The bust was removed in 1968 during construction of the new park. It was returned in 1971.
While thieves do steal bronze statues to cash in on the raw materials, it might be difficult to turn a profit on this particular piece, said Mary Ellen Wooten, public art program manager for the Tucson Pima Arts Council.
"It's difficult when you have a sculpture of somebody this recognizable," she told the Star. "You'd think somebody would be suspicious" if the thief tried to sell it to them.
Wooten speculated the person or people responsible for lifting the 35th president's bust might have wanted it for personal reasons and won't attempt to peddle it.
A police report has been made, and area metal shops have been informed.
"It's something that belongs to all of us and should be returned," Wooten said.
Pima County Democratic Party Chairman Don Jorgensen called the theft "disappointing and disrespectful." He said the party donated the sculpture to provide the people of Tucson a means to honor Kennedy's legacy.
"We sincerely hope those responsible will do the right thing and return the piece undamaged," Jorgensen said.
(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)


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Al Jazeera is coming to America. And when you have the backing of the Qatari royal family, there is little reason to do anything small.
Since launching its American outpost in January, the deep-pocketed network says it's received 18,000 résumés for 170 open positions. By the time Al Jazeera America, as the new cable network will be called, launches in July, it will have 600 to 700 staffers on the editorial and technical side.
But in order to make a dent in the saturated American airwaves, it will take more than eager anchors filling those chairs.
The network needs a star.
"It would be very helpful for us to have a couple of names that have been recognized and people say, 'Oh, they have gone over to them. I should give it a look,'" said Bob Wheelock, executive producer for the Americas for Al Jazeera English. "Americans like to know who is on at what time. We need to find people who are known, but we want them to be known for their journalism, not for their celebrity, not for their past failure, not for their messy divorce."
Al Jazeera paid an estimated $500 million to Al Gore's old cable network, Current TV, in order to launch Al Jazeera America. The new network will have nearly a dozen domestic bureaus and will rely on content from more than 70 overseas bureaus. The company is reported to be looking at prime New York real estate—in no less a bastion of American journalism than the former New York Times building—for its new headquarters. Executives at Al Jazeera say they are planning to compete with CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News on the belief that Americans crave substantive, deeply reported cable news, including foreign coverage.
Whether Al Jazeera will be able to attract top-level talent, the kind that will draw in American viewers and lead other broadcasters to follow suit, remains very much up in the air. Part of the problem is the lingering suspicion that the network has an anti-American bias. In 2006, it launched an English-language version of the network with a splash and announced the hiring of former Nightline correspondent Dave Marash in what was considered a coup for the nascent organization. Two years later Marash quit, citing a lack of editorial independence.
And there is the matter of whether anyone with a long résumé wants to work for a network that, although it will be in 45 million homes one day, has, at the moment, exactly zero viewers.
"The big question will be who do they hire," says Bob Papper, a professor of journalism at Hofstra University. "Can they hire lots of beginners who are looking for a job? Sure. If you're paying money and offering benefits, hiring warm bodies is not going to be hard. The question is are you going to be able to hire some serious players who are going to bring real credibility?"
Papper said that among his contacts in the industry, "I am not hearing any concern. I haven't heard anyone tell me, 'Jesus, I am concerned about losing all of these people.' It is massive indifference."
He added that although Al Jazeera America has pledged to invest heavily into news-gathering and to keep Qatari politics out of the editorial process, "that is what they said last time."
Wheelock begs to differ. Among the résumés he's seen, he said, "There are some first year out of [journalism] school or college and they just want a job." But he added, "We have an awful lot who are 10 or 15 or 20 years in the business and are just fed up with where they work, or they left where they work, or where they work told them you aren't needed here anymore because we closed down our Chicago bureau or we closed down our Rome bureau."
That Wheelock's inbox is full should surprise no one, given the sunken state of the news media.
"My students would have no qualms working anywhere that would give them a job," said Phillip Seib, a professor of journalism at University of Southern California and the author of The Al Jazeera Effect. "Or maybe some of them would, but some of them would have a problem working with MSNBC, some would have a problem working with Russia Today. But I think in general my students would say, 'Three hundred more jobs, yes!'"
That is good news for Wheelock, who says he is looking for a mix of "veteran, experienced journalists and news gatherers, and bright young kids who can multi-task like there is no tomorrow."
Those veterans could be attracted to a network that is committed to doing substantive work of the type not seen on most of the cable stations. "We are probably never going to the most-watched network in America," Wheelock conceded, but said Al Jazeera America believes there are big stories in the country that don't get airtime on even the cable news networks, and that there is a domestic appetite for long-form, deeply reported TV journalism. What the network lacks in audience size it hopes to gain by influencing the influences. Think more The Economist than Time, more Bill Moyers than Bill O'Reilly.
Already, speculation in the industry is rampant about who will be the first big names, if any, to take the plunge with the new network. The current thinking is that they will be people who are either at the tail end of their careers and are looking for a new challenge or those who find themselves bumping up against a glass ceiling at their present station. One industry insider said, "I know personally of a handful of familiar names who have submitted résumés." Another pointed to the recent moves of Jake Tapper and Chris Cuomo, who both left ABC for CNN, as an example of the kind of broadcaster who trades a higher-profile perch for the chance to do the kind of journalism they want. Both are models for the type of newsperson Al Jazeera is trying to poach.
And of course, it will take a lot of money, something that Al Jazeera has no shortage of, just as the rest of the media world seems to be retrenching.
"There are three [cable news networks] that do a lot of the same type of show, which is prime time, full of a lot of talking heads," Wheelock said. "You won't see a lot of that on our channel. That is done because it is inexpensive and it is often provocative and it fills up the channel. We are more dependent on storytelling. It costs more, but we also don't have the same constraints about trying to turn a profit. That is an incredibly editorially liberating thing."


text:
Memory of
Jessy Anderson
Died December 20th 1898
Aged 5 years
words illegible
Hi Laurie,
Yes it's funny how you just seem to know when you have seen something out of the ordinary.
When friends accompany me on cemetery trips, I'm sure they cannot begin to fathom why I get all excited over a 'new' find. To them it's just another headstone, similar to any other.
Does our finer appreciation make us 'tombstone connoisseurs', do you think ?.........


text:
Newly crowned Rock of Love Bus winner Taya Parker made such a big fuss on the show about being a classy lady but do these pictures from her December 2008 appearance on the Howard Stern show say otherwise? You be the judge.
The show had finished taping when she made this appearance. Taya was picked as the Rock of Love bus winner by Bret Michaels over Mindy. Taya also talked about being a stripper dancer, and was very vivid about her sex life.
"Taya said she started as an exotic dancer and eventually sent some pictures into Penthouse. Both girls said they were into anal sex, which led Howard to speculate that men would be happier with uninhibited girls like them. Teagan said he was right: "[They're] less likely to stray."
Howard turned to Taya and asked if she gave private dances, she said she used to, but now she just usually does burlesque-type performances."
What you do think about Taya winning Rock of Love Bus?


text:
BETHESDA, Md. — Jordan Spieth, playing with nothing to lose, gave himself another chance to win going into the weekend at the AT&T National.
Spieth hit every green in regulation Friday and extended his streak to 29 holes without a bogey on a tough Congressional course, giving him a 5-under 66 and a share of the lead with Roberto Castro (69) before storms halted the second round.
They were at 7-under 135, with the round to be completed Saturday morning.
Players went back out to the practice range after a two-hour delay, only for more storms to approach and extended the suspension until the PGA Tour called it for the day. Andres Romero was at 5 under with five holes remaining. No one else was within four shots of the lead.
Spieth is the 19-year-old Texan who started the season with no status, uncertain where he was going to play. He now has earned over $900,000 — the equivalent of being No. 39 on the PGA Tour money list — and is assured of a tour card when the new season starts in October.
But he won't be eligible for the lucrative FedEx Cup playoffs unless he's a PGA Tour member, and he can't be a member this year unless he wins.
"Honestly, I think it's a great position to be in," Spieth said. "I'm just free swinging. I can't be in the playoffs unless I win, and that makes winning the No. 1 goal. You'd like to get in the playoffs and play against the top players, the best players from this year. It's everyone's goal out here to win the FedEx Cup. My goal is to move up the world rankings as much as I can, and that's the way to do it, is to get into those playoffs."
D.H. Lee had a 66 and was two shots behind at 5-under 139. Cameron Tringale (67) and James Driscoll (69) were another shot behind, while the group at 3-under 139 included former British Open champion Stewart Cink (69), Gary Woodland (69) and David Lingmerth, who went from around the cut line to contention with a 65.
Spieth has lived up to the hype he first generated when he played late on Sunday in the Byron Nelson Championship at age 16 and tied for 16th. In one year at Texas, the Longhorns won the NCAA title. And in six months as a pro, he has shown quickly that he belongs.
He already has four top 10s and has special temporary membership, meaning he gets unlimited exemptions. His goal was to somehow get a PGA Tour card for 2013-14 season, and a win would be over the top.
Even so, the teenager who was born just three years before Tiger Woods turned pro is savvy to realize the tournament is not even halfway over.
"I can't really think about that at this point," he said. "There's a long way to go. I'm kind of free swinging. I've gotten in a position where I can play a pretty full schedule this year, and I know I'll have my card for next year. Now all there's left to do is try and get a win to make the playoffs. So I'm just going out there trying to win and being aggressive, and hopefully, it will work out for me."
Scoring was slightly better at Congressional, a course that has hosted the U.S. Open three times. Warmer weather in the morning made the ball fly a little farther and shortened the longest PGA Tour course on the mainland.
Spieth began his day with a 25-foot birdie putt on the first hole, avoided a long three-putt from above the hole on No. 4 by making a 12-foot par putt and then picked up four birdies over the final five holes on the front nine for a 31. He made nine pars on the back nine, never coming close to a bogey.
It was a clean round, executed well by a teenagers who plays like he knows where he is going.
"I'm excited for what the weekend is going to bring," he said.
Castro tied the course record on the TPC Sawgrass in May with a 63 to lead the opening round of The Players Championship, and then he followed with a 78 and never seriously challenge the rest of the week. After opening with a 66 at Congressional, he dropped a shot early from a fairway bunker on No. 3 and was plodding along until finishing the back nine with a pair of birdies, and then adding a birdie on the par-5 16th.
"I felt good," he said. "I probably learned a lot there (at Sawgrass) and realized that one round doesn't mean anything — just got to keep going. And I was able to do that."
Defending champion Woods is not playing because of an elbow injury, and U.S. Open champion Justin Rose withdrew earlier in the week because of fatigue. Some of the other big names most likely won't be around for the weekend, such as Hunter Mahan, who had a 72 and was at 5-over 147. Masters champion Adam Scott traded birdies and bogeys in his round of 71 that left him nine shots behind.
Brandt Snedeker had to salvage a scrappy round with two late birdies for a 71, leaving him five shots behind.
DIVOTS: The tee on the par-5 ninth hole was moved forward Friday, making it play only 613 yards. Six players went for the green in two — compared with none Thursday when the hole was 635 yards — with Angel Cabrera and Jason Day going just over the back. Both made birdie. ... Charlie Beljan, who opened with an 84, called officials Friday morning to say he had withdrawn. ... Russell Henley holed out from 149 yards for eagle on No. 9. He was at 3-under 139.


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You might love how your discount window treatments and accent furniture look throughout your living spaces, but eventually, it's all going to need to come down and be cleaned. Over time, dust can build up on everything from your custom window shades to your area rug, meaning you'll have to be diligent about keeping it eye-pleasing. Here are some tips on how to spruce up some of your most prized possessions and ensure they're just as beautiful as the day you purchased them.
Introduce your vacuum to your rug
Whether you have small or room-sized expensive area rugs lying around, it's in your best interest to keep them neat and tidy. Doing so can make sure you get the most out of your investment. Better Homes and Gardens magazine recommends starting by introducing your vacuum to your rug. Avoid any fringes in the process to prevent unraveling. Next, turn your rug to release the stress of regular use over certain areas of it over time. Finally, consider seeking a professional cleaner if you're handling delicate materials that may need extra care. This can relieve you of damage concerns as you clean your rugs.
Give your curtains a good scrubbing
Drapes are constantly in use, meaning they're always being exposed to dust and other particles flowing through the air. To give your window treatments a good cleaning, take them down, read their labels and verify any specific instructions for removing dirt and debris. Those that are washer safe can be thrown in with the rest of your laundry. Otherwise, clean your curtains with a mild soap and warm water by hand to eliminate dust. Once your window treatments are clean, Channel 4 recommends weekly vacuuming to keep debris from building up in a short amount of time.
Wash all of your pillows
Throw pillows and those used for sleeping should all be washed at least twice a year, according to Martha Stewart Living. Pillow covers should be washed with a mild soap�and warm water more frequently - a minimum of once a month. Prior to doing so, be sure to read the labels on your pillows to make sure you don't do any damage along the way. If you're concerned about your dryer doing harm, allow your pillows to air dry after the wash. In the end, you'll be glad you took the precautionary measures.


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Congrats to Paul Levy and his blog Running a Hospital, winner of the Best Medical Blog, who also won the category I was nominated for as well: Best Ethics/Health Policy blog.
Other award-winners include Random Acts of Reality (Best Literary Blog), Dr. Val and the Voice of Reason (Best New Blog) , New York Emergency Medicine (Best Clinical Sciences), ChronicBabe (Best Patient Blog), and the Best Technologies Blog is still pending...
For all who voted for me, I am forever grateful, but as I mentioned, I was happy to have just been selected as a finalist.
Thanks to all of the Medgadget guys for their efforts.


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Medical and security emergencies happen. When they do, we rely on Global Rescue, the world's leading membership organization providing integrated medical, security, travel risk and crisis response services to our travelers worldwide. Without a Global Rescue membership, an emergency evacuation could cost you more than $100,000. That's why over 1 million members trust Global Rescue to get them home when the worst happens. Don't travel without Global Rescue.
Memberships start at $129.


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It's always a good idea to take a look after the public has plowed through some inventory during the holidays and the help has had a chance to put some new/old stock from the back room :D
*Red Hulk
This wouldn't be the first time this year I've seen 2009 Marvel Universe stock on the pegs, nor the first time I've spotted a Red Hulk in the wild this month! I took him home this time. Could he really look more angry? :D
*Iron Spider-Man (translucent variant)
I've passed on the peg-warming, flat red version of this many times, but when I saw a picture of the translucent variant recently, I become more interested. I didn't expect to find one so soon- Great! Paintjob looks shoddy on this one however- may or may not return it.
Another translucent variant, this Electro was released in '09 with flat, gold paint, but released again with clear hands- very cool! What a hilarious looking villain- right up my alley :D
My New Year's resolution should be to open more of these Marvel Universe! I am WAY behind on these, and while I didn't want to pass these up, the last thing I needed this year was another one to throw on the pile :D
Happy New Year! Make It FUN!


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Configure the nested triggers (server configuration option)
Applies to: SQL Server
This topic describes how to configure the nested triggers server configuration option in SQL Server by using SQL Server Management Studio or Transact-SQL. The nested triggers option controls whether an AFTER trigger can cascade. That is, perform an action that initiates another trigger, which initiates another trigger, and so on. When nested triggers is set to 0, AFTER triggers cannot cascade. When nested triggers is set to 1 (the default), AFTER triggers can cascade to as many as 32 levels. INSTEAD OF triggers can be nested regardless of the setting of this option.
In This Topic
Before you begin:
To configure the nested triggers option, using:
Before You Begin
Execute permissions on sp_configure with no parameters or with only the first parameter are granted to all users by default. To execute sp_configure with both parameters to change a configuration option or to run the RECONFIGURE statement, a user must be granted the ALTER SETTINGS server-level permission. The ALTER SETTINGS permission is implicitly held by the sysadmin and serveradmin fixed server roles.
Using SQL Server Management Studio
To configure the nested triggers option
In Object Explorer, right-click a server, and then select Properties.
On the Advanced page, set the Allow Triggers to Fire Others option to True (the default) or False.
Using Transact-SQL
To configure the nested triggers option
Connect to the Database Engine.
From the Standard bar, click New Query.
Copy and paste the following example into the query window and click Execute. This example shows how to use sp_configure to set the value of the
nested triggers
option to0
USE AdventureWorks2022;
EXEC sp_configure 'show advanced options', 1;
EXEC sp_configure 'nested triggers', 0 ;
For more information, see Server Configuration Options (SQL Server).
Follow Up: After you configure the nested triggers option
The setting takes effect immediately without restarting the server.
See Also
Create Nested Triggers
RECONFIGURE (Transact-SQL)
Server Configuration Options (SQL Server)
sp_configure (Transact-SQL)
Coming soon: Throughout 2024 we will be phasing out GitHub Issues as the feedback mechanism for content and replacing it with a new feedback system. For more information see:Submit and view feedback for


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While bullying behavior by youth sports coaches is, as MomsTEAM has been pointing out for years, an all-too-common problem, a helpful new article in the journal Pediatrics [1] explains just why it is so difficult to correct by identifying the four main tactics coaches use to avoid blame for their improper behavior.
Imbalance of power
While acknowledging that the study of bullying has made "considerable strides over the last 2 decades," lead author Nancy L. Swigonski, MD, MPH, of Children's Health Services Research at Indiana University School of Medicine admits that the definition remains vague.
Bullying, she says, is "generally defined as a systematic abuse of power, in which a stronger individual exhibits a pattern of intimidating behavior against someone weaker or less powerful." Although most research has addressed peer-to-peer bullying, the fact, as I have been saying for years, is that "nothing in the definition requires [such] a relationship, only 1 individual with perceived power over another."
By its very nature, Swigonski says, the "coach-athlete relationship involves an inherent imbalance of power" because the "coach holds authority over his players."
Common in youth sports
"Although plenty of coaches use affirming and encouraging coaching styles, bullying behavior such as demeaning, shaming, and name-calling remains a common aspect of coaching in sports at any level," Swigonski states.
As evidence, she points to a 2011 study in the United Kingdom [2] which found that three-quarters of the 6,000 young adults ages 18 to 22 years interviewed about their experiences in sports earlier in adolescence reported at least 1 incident of emotional harm playing sports, one third of whom identified their coach as the main source of harm, and to a 2005 study [3] - one I cited in my 2006 book, Home Team Advantage, [4] and in articles adapted from that book for MomsTEAM.com - finding that 45% of children reported verbal misconduct by coaches, including name-calling and insulting them during play.
Where to draw the line?
Swigonsiki identifies two major difficulties in correcting bullying behavior by coaches:
First, she says, is that the "behavior is a continuum from positive to negative; therefore judging when a coach has 'crossed the line' is somewhat subjective." As sports psychologist K.C. Wilder puts it, it is often difficult to know the difference between critical coach and bully.
Swigonski notes that "some authors state that bullying is determined partially by whether the behavior makes the victim feel intimidated or bullied, further stating that although an interaction might be perceived as bullying in some circumstances, it might be considered acceptable in others."(emphasis supplied)
But the bottom line she says, a position with I wholeheartedly agree, is that "pervasive demeaning, name-calling, and insulting by a teacher/coach is inexcusable," and a pattern of behavior that is not only "outdated" but, simply put, "no longer acceptable."
Defensive techniques
A second difficulty in correcting bullying behavior by coaches are the techniques coaches use that "rationalize and minimize" the negative perceptions of the bullying behavior by others, and it is here that the article offers parents something new.
Swigonski identifies four main tactics coaches use:
1. Moral justification: The bully attempts to portray the behavior as socially acceptable, with the coach making statements such as "all coaches lose it once in a while:" or "this is how we have always done things and we win games." Swigonski says that, "by arguing that the behavior is normal, coaches "invoke the logical fallacy that common and good are equivalent. Unfortunately, when a culture of bullying is accepted within a team or in the school, then it may actually seem normal," with the result being that bullying of athletes tends to be "rationalized and ignored."
Reading the article, I was reminded of an assistant youth hockey coach who chalked up yelling at a team of nine-year olds in the locker room after a game - as chronicled in a long article I wrote several years back about emotional abuse in youth hockey - to the fact that, "We are hockey coaches. Do we yell? Yeah, we do, but it's no different than any other sport. We told them they could have played better."
Need proof that bullying by coaches is part of the culture of some sports? Look no further than the statement in my youth hockey article by a father of a player, who acknowledged that the coach "yells at the kids when they need to be yelled at, he sits them down when they need to be sat down. I have no problem with any of his tactics," he said. (emphasis supplied).
2. Backhand apology. The second defensive technique Swigonski identifies is what she calls the "backhand apology." A typical bully apology, she says, might sound like "I am really sorry, I got a little carried away, but we really need to work on fundamentals if we are going to win."
She points out two problems with such a statement: first, it minimizes the harm by saying "a little"; and second, as with the coach and dad quoted in my article about emotional abuse in youth hockey, it tries to shift the blame to the victim, that it's his/her fault that the coach had to yell because "he could have played better" or that he only yelled at the kids "when they needed to be yelled at." "By implying that if the team had mastered fundamentals he would not have acted in such a manner, says Swigonski, he attempts to deflect responsibility and thereby excuse his behavior." Adding insult to injury, Swigorski notes, the apology actually becomes part of the bullying behavior because it is a "power play that belittles the victim."
3. Using advantageous comparisons. When bullying behavior is compared with a more severe act, Swigonski says, coach is trying to move the goalposts, allowing the coach's behavior to seem more trivial. She cites as an example the girls' basketball coach highlighted in her article who, after being observed by the mother of one of his players screaming at the team that they lacked intelligence and were lazy because they had not executed a play properly, attempted to justify his behavior by pointing out that he never "pushed them around or la[id] a finger on them." Even though physical abuse was not the concern, she says, the coach, by shifting the standard of what might be considered inappropriate, was attempting to downplay the severity of his actual misconduct.
4. Escalation. The last defensive technique Swigorski identifies is escalation, in which the "stakes" are raised, until the person gives up their grievance. Here, she says, the bully essentially "bluffs" the person complaining about his or her behavior into backing down; if an athlete making statements like, "If you don't like the way I do things, you can quit the team." In making such statements, the bully isn't escalating the bullying behavior so much as escalating the situation by presenting the consequences a victim might face if they fight back.
As my more than 25 years in youth sports as a parent, coach, journalist, and reform advocate has taught me, this is a tactic that all too many coaches use, not just to intimidate athletes into accepting abuse, but their parents as well, who are either cowed into silence out of fear for the consequences to their child if they don't keep their mouths shut, such as being benched or ostracized, or worse, because they have come to believe in this win-at-all-costs society that their child's emotional health must be sacrificed at the altar of team success.
Advice for parents
To combat bullying by coaches, Swigonski recommends that parents:
- pay attention: observe practices, obtain reports of locker room behavior, and pay attention to a coach's behavior at games to gauge the negativity and prevalence of the behavior;
- focus on the behavior: make sure the focus stays on the behavior that needs to be addressed and not allow efforts to correct the behavior to be derailed by the coach's use of defensive techniques (in too many cases, sad to say, with the support and backing of the club or school);
- ensure that coaches are covered by a code of conduct. Students aren't the only ones who should be held to a code of conduct; coaches and teachers should too;
- report bullying. Reporting behavior to Child Protective Services may also be warranted, depending on what state law says. Most states have laws describing emotional abuse as injury to the emotional stability of a child as evidenced by an appreciable change in behavior, cognition, or emotional response. While there are no clear guidelines regarding verbal bullying aimed at a team rather than an individual, bullying by a coach of an individual child should be reported immediately to school officials. "Nevertheless," writes Swigonski, "such behavior is unacceptable and coaches should face consequences for verbal misconduct including demeaning, name-calling, and insulting young athletes.
Long-lasting effects
Why is it so important to put a stop by bullying by coaches,as well as all forms of emotional abuse, whether it be by a coach, another player, a parent, volunteer, spectator, or official?
Because research that shows that bullying, like other forms of emotional abuse, can have dramatic and long-lasting effects on its victims, impairing social and emotional development and causing substantial harm to mental health. "When bullying occurs in an athletic setting," says Swigonski, "those harmful effects are augmented by the stress kids often feel as a result of athetic competition."
Perhaps because the damage caused by emotional abuse is not obvious, like sexual abuse, or immediately apparent, like a physical injury, its effect is often overlooked and minimized. But, as the late San Francisco child psychologist Maria Pease pointed out in Home Team Advantage, the damage is no less real, and, in fact, may be much more damaging and long-lasting:
- Children are deeply affected by negative comments from parents, coaches and other adults to whom they look up and respect. One comment can turn a child off to sports forever.
- Children are much more sensitive than adults to criticism: being yelled at, put down, or embarrassed is much more likely to have negative psychological consequences and to cause the child to feel humiliated, shamed and degraded and to damage her feelings of self-worth and self-esteem.
- If the abuse becomes chronic, a pattern of negative comments can destroy a child's spirit, motivation and self-esteem. Over time, the young athlete will begin to believe what adults say about him. Abusive comments intended to improve athletic performance are likely to have precisely the opposite effect.
- Children who experience screaming on a regular basis will react in certain ways to protect or defend themselves. This may be adaptive in the moment to survive the screaming, but ultimately be maladaptive and constrict their ability to be psychologically healthy over time.
- A more anxious, sensitive child may be intolerant of screaming very early on, and remove himself from the sport (he maybe the lucky one). However, he is also more likely to endure the screaming without telling a parent or responding to the coach directly out of fear of reprisal from the coach. A more sensitive child who stays in this situation may be more affected physiologically with overall heightened arousal levels as discussed above.
- A more secure child will likely have the same physiological responses but be less vulnerable to them. He may find a way to tune out the yelling or the negative commments by the coach, but this may come at a cost of emotional sensitivity. As the child becomes less sensitive to his own fearful feelings, he can become less sensitive to the feeling of others, leading to loss of empathy. He will also become less sensitive to emotions in general, and have a loss of sensitivity to positive emotions as well. He is also likely to resent the coach for putting him in such a psychologically vulnerable position.
- Children involved in sports often make strong connections and develop a special trusting relationship with their coaches and instructors, and if the coaches' power is abused, children can suffer severe psychological injuries that may last a lifetime. In a 2004 study of emotional abuse of elite child athletes in the United Kingdom,[5] for instance, athletes reported that the abuse by their coaches created a climate a fear and made them feel stupid, worthless or upset, lacking in self-confidence, angry, depressed, humiliated, fearful and hurt, and left long-lasting emotional scars.
Brooke de Lench is the Executive Director of MomsTEAM Institute, Founder and Publisher of MomsTEAM.com, and the Producer/Director/Creator of the PBS documentary, The Smartest Team: Making High School Football Safer.
1. Swigonski NL, Enneking BA, Hendrix KS. Bullying Behavior by Athletic Coaches. Pediatrics. 2014;133(2); doi:10.1542/peds.2013-3146.
2. Alexander K, Stafford A, Lewis R. The Experiences of Children Participating in Organised Sport in the UK. Edinburgh, Scotland. The University of Edinburgh/NSPCC Child Protection Research Centre. 2011.
3. Shields DL, Bredemeier BL, Lavoi NM, Power FC. The sport behavior of youth parents, and coaches: the good, the bad, and the ugly. J Res Character Educ. 2005;3(1):43-59.
4. Brooke de Lench. Home Team Advantage: The Critical Role of Mothers in Youth Sports (New York: HarperCollins 2006), pp. 120-121.
5. Gervis M, Dunn N. The Emotional Abuse of Elite Child Athletes By Their Coaches. Child Abuse Rev. 2004;13:215-223.


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This article is more than 1 year old
Vodafone warns investors of rival spoilers
The end of all-you-can-eat
Vodafone's CEO has declared tiered data pricing, based on consumption, is inevitable while the company's US arm is already working out how to provide faster wireless to its best customers.
Speaking at an investors' conference, and reported by the FT, Vittorio Colao said that while smaller operators might hold on to unlimited data tariffs, for a while, that won't last. And in the end the bigger operators will dominate thanks to economies of scale and carefully tiered pricing.
Verizon Wireless, in which Vodafone is a partner, is already building its LTE network with much-more granular control over the speed available to users, for which it intends to charge proportionally according to the Wall Street Journal. Vodafone Germany has already said that once an LTE user hits their data cap they'll be busted down to 3G speeds.
Not that Vodafone is alone in this – O2 has already dropped its unlimited smartphone tariffs in favour of something more granular, and 3 goes further in throttling those on a lower tariff* when a cell is overloaded (and, to be fair, 3 also de-restricts data on an underutilised cell).
Even more interesting is Orange's decision to offer a cheap rate for data with the Samsung Tablet - an additional 1GB of data every month that can only be used after 16.00, which might be a UK first but certainly won't be the last.
Such innovative pricing will become normal over the next few years, as the intelligence in the network increases and operators seek new ways to redress the current imbalance between revenue and loading - where voice brings in 70 per cent of the revenue despite making up only five per cent of the traffic.
Time and/or application-specific bandwidth is an obvious first step, though operators are going to have to emulate the iPad's countdown timer (to show the bandwidth available and offer an easy way to pump up the speed) if customers aren't going to become helplessly confused.
Such models are considered inevitable by most of the industry, and Colao's comments are intended to prepare investors for some pain as Vodafone takes the first steps towards them. Other operators might hang on to unlimited data for a while, but ultimately will have to join their larger brethren in billing customers on the basis of how much traffic they use.
As the mechanic told Max, before he went mad: "Speed's just a question of money. How fast you wanna go?" ®
* Three has been in touch to say it restricts by application rather than tariff, for the moment at least.


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Fusion cuisine is one that combines elements of different culinary traditions. Cuisines of this type are not categorized according to any one particular cuisine style and have played a part in a number of innovations.
Fusion food is a general term for the combination of various forms of cookery and comes in several forms.
Prep Time : 16-20 minutes
Cook time : 16-20 minutes
Serve : 4
Level Of Cooking : Moderate
Taste : Mild


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Imagine trying to sell Instagram to a venture capitalist back in 2010. "You see, the biggest problem with Facebook and MySpace is that there are too many words. Our social network will be almost entirely pictures. I know, I know, but get this: People will be able to make their pictures look like crappy Polaroids from the 70s and 80s! AND we'll do it all on mobile, so people can download these pictures at blistering 2G and 3G speeds!"
It seems like a tough pitch, right? Only a few forward-looking folks knew that visual content was the wave of the future. As mobile speeds increased and phones got smarter, Instagram became a major player in the social media world.
These days, Instagram has a massive amount of potential for marketers of every stripe. 90% of Instagram's 500 million monthly users are under 35. These millennials and Gen-Zers have plenty of buying power, and the platform has taken pains to introduce and develop marketing-friendly features.
If your brand isn't on Instagram yet, there's a good possibility it should be. Brands as diverse as GE and Donna Karan are seeing great results. If you can create arresting visual content for your brand, you're good to go.
Here's what you need to know to get started on Instagram.
#1: Create an Instagram Account
Before you start posting your own ads, it's a good idea to get familiar with the platform. Create a Business Profile account and begin building your audience with engaging content.
Make sure to follow plenty of similar companies to see what the competition is up to, and add a few who aren't in your vertical but have ideas worth borrowing.
#2: Build an Organic Audience with Great Content
If your brand lends itself to high-fashion photos or dynamic product shots, you don't need to think too hard about your content strategy. For the rest of us, think of the platform as a place to provide an authentic look into your company's culture.
Use photos and video to take followers behind the scenes at your company. Introduce employees and show them at work. Give viewers a tour of your headquarters. Take them with you to corporate events.
Instagram supports videos up to 60 seconds long, which is just enough time for a quick how-to or a few words of advice. Keep it non-promotional and valuable, and you can start to grow an organic audience.
Even though Instagram is a visual platform, don't worry about having the most polished, professional-looking visuals. You're better off actually using the tools Instagram provides to create authentic-looking images that match the platform's look and feel.
#3: Connect Your Instagram Account to Facebook Business Manager
Facebook owns Instagram, so you will be posting your ads through Facebook's Business Manager. That means the basic process for creating Instagram ads should be familiar to anyone who has run campaigns on Facebook.
There are two options for creating ads: Ads Manager and Power Editor. Ads Manager is the simpler of the two, but has plenty of functionality for those just starting out. The platform will walk you through the process of choosing an objective, audience, and adding creative.
#4: Create Ads: It's Hip to Be Square
There are three types of ads you can create:
- Single Photo: A single photo, oddly enough.
- Photo Carousel: Up to 5 photos that viewers can swipe through
- Video: Up to 60 seconds of video.
Start with the single photo option for your first few campaigns. They're the simplest to create, but you still have a good chance of seeing results with a strong visual.
Once you have a little experience, try out the photo carousel. See how you can use the format to tell a simple story. Give people a reason to swipe to the next photo.
If you have the setup to create beautiful, compelling video content, it's worth trying out video ads. These ads tend to have the highest engagement of the three types. Use video to tell a story as visually as possible. As with Facebook, your video should make sense with the sound off.
You can choose ads that run in Instagram's native square format, landscape, or vertical. Square ads actually give you more screen real estate than landscape ads, so it's a good idea to stick with that classic square. Use these technical specifications to make sure your ad will look its best.
#5: Use Hashtags Sparingly
Hashtags help Instagram sort and display photos—think of them like the category tags in your blog. Instagram allows up to 30 hashtags per post. You're likely to see people who make full use of all 30. Resist the urge to follow in their footsteps.
Hashtags work best when you keep them relevant and use no more than five per post. Other users can add more tags when they share your content. So start with minimal descriptive tags and let the community decide what else is relevant. And ignore that 2200 character limit—stick to around 125 characters for your captions.
#6: Tailor Content for Specific Goals
If your goal is to raise awareness and grow your audience, look to content that is already performing well with your organic audience. Put a little budget behind content that is proven to engage, and it's more likely to enjoy success and help bring in more followers.
For lead gen goals, use visuals that contain a clear call to action. HubSpot did extensive testing on Instagram ad types for their Complete Guide to Instagram Advertising (gated). They discovered—however counterintuitively—that the highest CTR for their lead gen ads came from visuals that looked more like ads than native content. So for your gated content offer, don't go with a cute kitten picture or an inspirational quote. Offer a preview of the content and make it clear what you want your reader to do.
#Blessed #Success #LovingInstagramMarketing
Instagram may seem like a hard nut to crack, especially if you're not in an industry known for strong visuals. In reality, though, if you're successful on Facebook, you can make it on Instagram. Tell a compelling story, provide value for your audience, and they'll click through.
From more from our team, follow us at TopRankMarketing. Is your brand rocking it on Instagram? If so, tell us how in the comments.


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Artistic giants have always held a fascination for literate filmmakers, but writers and painters can be tough nuts to crack, not to mention hard sells to a wide audience. John Maybury has a bit of experience in this area, having written and directed the well-received Love Is the Devil: Study for a Portrait of Francis Bacon. Now Maybury tackles the great Dylan Thomas in The Edge of Love, a speculative investigation into a cloudy period of the poet and dramatist's personal life.
Adapted by Sharman MacDonald from David N. Thomas' A Farm, Two Mansions and a Bungalow and Esther Killick's "Personal Sketch of Vava and Personal Sketch of Papa," The Edge of Love concerns a period--beginning in 1940 London during The Blitz and ending in 1945 New Quay (West Wales)--during which Thomas (Matthew Rhys) and his wife Caitlin MacNamara (Sienna Miller) relied on the kindness of Thomas' childhood friend Vera Phillips (Kiera Knightley). The film opens with the chance reunion of Dylan and Vera--in a bar, of course--Thomas shamelessly flirting over the woman who may have been his first love ("Nothing should ever come between us," he maintains). Independent-minded but romantically vulnerable, Vera's a torch singer in the impromptu nightclubs of the London Underground, serving as distraction from the deadly bombing raids that buffet the city. Her distraction works a little too well on Army Captain William Killick (Cillian Murphy), who begins following her like a lost dog.
The linear-minded soldier stands in contrast to Thomas, whose asthma rules out military action; Thomas earns his meager keep writing narration for war films and poetry for BBC Radio. Chafing against the demands of his keepers, Thomas increasingly finds he cannot contain his genius just to collect a paycheck. For her part, Caitlin frets that her husband likewise cannot contain the contents of his trousers, so she makes a show of stomping on any sexual tension between Dylan and Vera, befriending Vera in the process. Though Vera's heart may well belong to Dylan, she gradually succumbs to Killick's pure-hearted advances ("Live while you can, all you can," he argues). So it is that Thomas finds himself serving as Killick's best man as he marries Vera. When Killick must march off again to war, Dylan, Caitlin and Vera repair to New Quay to await William's return and raise growing numbers of children.
More than anything, The Edge of Love is about what happens on Killick's return. The soldier has undiagnosed PTSD that serves as the choleric humor triggering terrible outbursts. He's paranoid (perhaps justly so) about Thomas' behavior around Vera, outraged over Vera's financial generosity to Dylan and Caitlin, and sensitive about his service to his country, and woe betide anyone who underappreciates it. It's a recipe for disaster, and Maybury effectively teases out an intriguing "what if this is how it went down" backstory for what's been till now mostly a passing detail in Thomas biographies. Along the way, Maybury examines Thomas' personal recklessness, and Caitlin's troubled dedication to keeping them afloat and together, but The Edge of Love is by no stretch a biopic. Rather, it's a meditation on the fateful confluence of conflicting desires and world events that will not be denied.
The accuracy of the film's intimations about the relationship between Dylan and Vera is dubious, as is the modern spin on the personalities in Thomas' personal orbit. Winning performances help to give body to the story. Rhys does well in bottling Thomas' restlessness of intellect and libido, without turning him into a slobbering drunk (for contrast, see Angus Macfadyen's absurd take on Orson Welles in The Cradle Will Rock). Knightley does some of her most appealing work to date--nicely complemented by Miller--and Murphy makes Killick agonizingly sympathetic. From the start, Maybury gives his visual transitions a suitably dreamy quality that wisely acknowledges the subjective take on the private lives of historic individuals. Playing a similar role is the musical score, including two original songs with lyrics by Maybury and music by the great Angelo Badalamenti.
In its Blu-ray edition, The Edge of Love gets a beaut of a high-def transfer. The source material is largely HD and partly 35mm film, but there's a surprising unity of effect through the use of rich and sometimes more-vivid-than-life color. The image is unfailingly sharp, with excellent contrast and strong dimensionality. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix provides a fine complement, with precision ambience and full-bodied presentation of the important musical score.
A nice sampling of bonus features provides context for the film, beginning with a commentary by director John Maybury and actor Matthew Rhys. It's a mildly shocking commentary--certainly irreverent--as Maybury and Rhys playfully acknowledge the film's quiet reception and generally cut up about themselves and their colleagues; the actors are all held up to good-natured mockery. Ironically, this is a film that could have benefited from a more serious discussion, but a good time will be had by all who give this track a spin.
"Looking Over The Edge of Love" (9:40, SD) is a brief look behind the scenes, with Maybury, Sienna Miller & Kiera Knightley, and Rhys. Press-shy Cillian Murphy doesn't participate, unfortunately.
Murphy does turn up in the entertaining "Gag Reel" (4:10, SD) and, of course, in the film's "Trailer" (1:35, SD).
This off-the-beaten-path title is well-worth a look for fans of Dylan Thomas and the actors involved.
Review gear: |
Panasonic Viera TC-P55VT30 55" Plasma 1080p 3D HDTV
Oppo BDP-93 Universal Network 3D Blu-ray Disc Player
Denon AVR2112CI Integrated Network A/V Surround Receiver
Pioneer SP-BS41-LR Bookshelf Speaker (2)
Pioneer SP-C21 Center Speaker
Pioneer SW-8 Subwoofer


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Madame Tussaud
The fabulous destiny of Marie Tussaud, the woman with the wax masks! Paris, 1793. Marie Crossholz manages the wax museum set up by her father. Against remuneration, some executioners allow her to mould the faces of guillotined aristocrats... After the French revolution, Marie Crossholz became Mrs Tussaud. Disappointed by the marriage, she leaves for London with the ambition to create a wax museum there. New fights and other tumultuous adventures wait for her... Thirty years later, in 1835, she will inaugurate the famous Tussaud museum of the Baker Street in London, which, since that time, always grows with new celebrities and does not cease to attract million of visitors!


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Thought you'd get a charge out of the original (1984) Frightful Falls logo:
Graphic Artist Rick says the best he can remember (it was 25 years ago, after all) this graphic was hand-painted on the original Frightful Falls billboard.
The riders are very well dressed, don't you think?
First posted 2/15/09


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WHITCRAFT, CHRISTINE - California State University | |
Grewell, Brenda | |
BAYE, PETER - Consultant |
Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter Publication Acceptance Date: 8/14/2011 Publication Date: 10/15/2012 Citation: Whitcraft, C., Grewell, B.J., Baye, P.R. 2012. Tidal wetland vegetation and ecotone profiles: The Rush Ranch Open Space Preserve. In: Palaima, A., editor. Ecology, Conservation, and Restoration of Tidal Marshes. Berkeley, California: University of California Press. p. 113-114. Interpretive Summary: By invitation, this manuscript was prepared as a contribution to a book entitled: Tidal Salt Marshes of the San Francisco Estuary: Ecology, Restoration, Conservation (A. Palaima, editor) to be published by University of California Press, Berkeley California. The chapter provides analysis of estuarine vegetation at a National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) site (Rush Ranch) in the San Francisco Bay Estuary. The NERR reserve system is a federal and state partnership between NOAA, State Parks, State Bay Conservation Commission, San Francisco State University and a local land trust. The data analyses presented quantify vegetation by hydrogeomorphic setting, provide a historic perspective of vegetation change, and highlight the influence of exotic, invasive plant species within the ecological community. The chapter also includes a detailed flora compiled from more than twenty years of field research. The manuscript provides a historic perspective coupled with an ecological framework for future monitoring, research and adaptive conservation management at Rush Ranch and in the greater San Francisco Estuary. Technical Abstract: The Rush Ranch Open Space Preserve (Rush Ranch) is a component site of the San Francisco Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (SF Bay NERR) that includes one of the largest undiked tidal wetlands in the San Francisco Estuary. The brackish tidal wetlands grade into transitional vegetation and undeveloped grasslands of the Potrero Hills, and include diverse vegetation that reflect the estuarine position, land use history, and hydrogeomorphic complexity of the site. Rush Ranch includes 4 major estuarine geomorphic units that are widely distributed in the region and support unique vegetation: subtidal channel beds, fringing tidal marsh, tidal marsh plain and tidal marsh-terrestrial ecotone that are distinguished by small variations in hydrology and elevation. We present data on vegetation within each of these landforms, considering each vegetation community as a function of changing physical environment as well as a mixture of interacting species. This chapter also includes an extensive flora of the estuarine wetlands and associated ecotones. Past land-use and exotic plant species invasions have substantially altered Rush Ranch tidal marsh vegetation patterns. Despite these influences, Rush Ranch's position in the landscape provides important and increasingly rare habitat linkages between the tidal marsh and upland grasslands, providing great potential for restoration and enhancement. |


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Blueberry Soup.
I am easily excited.
Give me 4-inch heels, a chocolate bacon bar, elastic-waistband sweatpants, and a large dumpster in which I can toss Mr. How Sweet's 90's CD's and stuffed turkey out the window, and I am more than a happy camper.
Give me a unique, exciting, sweet recipe, and I am thrilled.
The only thing that makes it better, is adding 'easy' to the list.
This one-pot soup can be made in 15 minutes, and is ready to serve in an hour. It is perfect for dessert!
Mr. How Sweet took one look at this soup and was intrigued.
You can't help but be intrigued by the vibrant color.
It is sayin' something though, since Mr. How Sweet is selective in the foods he chooses to eat.
He isn't picky. He just selects what he thinks is appropriate to eat.
For example, mall chinese food is high on his list. He claims since it is full of protein, he can eat a lot of it.
Meat lovers pizza? More protein. Bring it on.
Whole wheat berry muffins? Whole wheat + fruit = healthy, so he can eat 14 of them.
Avocado? Not on the list. It's green.
Anything labeled 'vegan?' Also doesn't make the cut.
Low-sugar creamsicles? He's eaten 5 of them since I started this post.
Perhaps he should write a book on his rationale?
To think that this pureed bowl of fruity goodness did make the cut?
Well, its a pretty big deal.
A big, delicious deal.
I can only describe this soup with one word – delightful.
It's not too sweet and just bursts with blueberry flavor. I have rarely eaten a cold soup, and I must say that I loved it.
It makes for an impressive, fabulous, light dessert.
And not to mention, it is very versatile. Serve it with a side of ice cream!
Blueberry Soup
from epicurious
1 1-pound bag frozen unsweetened blueberries
1 cup water
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 lemon, cut in wedges
Add all ingredients in a saucepan and let come to a bowl. Stir until sugar dissolves. Reduce to a simmer and let thicken and blueberries get soft.
Remove lemon wedges and blend soup – I used an immersion blender, but you can also transfer it to a blender. Refrigerate for at least once hour until chilled.
Serve with a dollop of whipped cream or over ice cream.
Mr. How Sweet says 'blueberries are good for you. They are full of antioxidants. Eat the soup.'
You heard him. Eat the soup.


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We accept cash, checks, money orders, and credit cards (VISA, MasterCard, Discover). If you are paying by credit or debit card you may make your payment on-line or by telephone. On-line payments charge a small processing fee, but can be made 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Payments by phone have no additional charge.
The municipal court judge may also authorize community service hours to be credited toward payment of fines in cases of financial hardship. For more information on this option, refer to the FAQ regarding community service.
There is a payment drop box located at the Municipal Court Building, 229 N Baltimore, that is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. A receipt will be mailed to you if you make an after hours payment. On-line payments may be made by clicking the link below. You will be required to enter the citation number and your date of birth to make a payment. There is a $1.50 processing fee.
The city prosecutor may offer the option of a diversion agreement for serious traffic violations such as DUI, reckless driving and no insurance. Minor traffic charges may qualify for amendment to a non-moving violation. For more information on the amendment option, or to find out if you qualify for an amendment, contact the Court Clerk's office at 788-1511.
Payment plans are routinely used in Derby Municipal Court. In most cases, the minimum monthly payment will be set at $50.00 or an amount that will allow the balance of fines and fees to be paid in-full within 10 months. In cases of significant financial hardship, the judge may authorize a monthly payment below the monthly minimum or allow community service to be performed in lieu of cash payment for fines.
Community service is a program which is frequently used in Derby Municipal Court to help people with limited financial resources to pay fines. Community service is credited at a rate of $6 per hour. By law, community service hours may only be used to pay fines. Court costs and other fees associated with the case must be paid out-of-pocket. For more detailed information regarding the use of community service, follow the link on the Municipal Court homepage.
You may perform community service for any IRS registered, non-profit organization. To determine if an organization is registered as a non-profit, go to http://apps.irs.gov/app/eos/ and search the name of the organization with which you wish to work. You may also contact court staff or follow the link to Helpful Forms and Documents for a list of organizations that may provide opportunities for community service.


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Uwe Oehler has written a simple program that prints out fold-up paper templates for the conic sections that make up the reflective surface of a Fresnel mirror. Cut the templates out of cardboard, cover the cardboard with aluminum tape, fold up the sections, and apply them to a flat backing. Even the relatively simple, five ring, 59% coverage reflector shown in the video will burn holes in construction paper under modest sunlight. [via Hack a Day]
4 thoughts on "How-To: Fold-Up Fresnel Reflector"
The "Uwe Oehler" link is broken. Should be http://www.dr-iguana.com/prj_flatpackmirror/
Thanks, and sorry. Should be fixed now!
Comments are closed.
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Lena Rouse has merely one resolution for 2014: Finally get a job.
It's a goal that was out of reach in 2013, despite her best efforts. After she was laid off from an IT analysis job at a regional bank, Rouse was unemployed all year long.
What's the problem? It certainly wasn't a lack of skills. She has two master's degrees (one in business and another in IT, from DeVry's Keller Graduate School of Management) and about 22 years of work experience.
"Hiring managers tell me I'm overqualified," she said.
It also wasn't a lack of trying. She sent out hundreds of job applications, and even told recruiters she would be willing to work for less than her previous salary.
And it wasn't the location either. Rouse lives in Columbus, Ohio -- the largest city in the state, home of five Fortune 500 companies, and one of few Midwestern cities which has gained back just about all the jobs it lost in the recession, according to the Labor Department.
Related: Help! My unemployment benefits just expired
Rouse is far from alone.
About 5.5 million Americans looked for jobs in 2012, but didn't work at all that year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The 2013 data won't be available until later this year, but it's safe to say the numbers remain elevated, even as the job market improves gradually.
Will 2014 finally be the year that the long-term unemployed get back to work?
The job market seems to be gaining momentum, and economists hope the long-term unemployed won't be left out in the cold. So far, the signs aren't very encouraging though.
In December, job growth continued at a solid pace, but the number of people who've been unemployed for more than six months simultaneously increased. It appeared that most of the jobs had gone to those who had been unemployed for shorter periods of time.
"I've heard from recruiters at larger companies, and they will absolutely tell you they don't like to hire long-term unemployed people," Rouse said. "They think our skills are less sharp."
As of December, 37% of the unemployed had been so for at least six months.
The good news is, Rouse is starting to sense a turning point in the job market. After almost nine months with no calls, she started getting interviews in the last three months of the year.
"At first, I couldn't have paid anyone to read my résumé," she said. "Now I have a lot of calls, a lot of interviews. I've also been working with multiple staffing agencies."
Still, a job cannot come fast enough. The long-term unemployment problem lingers just as Congress failed to extend its emergency federal unemployment benefits. As a result, 1.3 million Americans suddenly stopped receiving their benefits.
Rouse received her last check this week. After a year without a job, she's depleted much of her 401(k) and even sold some of her jewelry.
"Now I'm at that point where I'm waiting to hear back. If I don't get one of those two jobs I just applied for, I'm thinking I'll probably have to move in with my father," she said.
"Just because someone cannot find a job for a long period of time, doesn't mean there's something wrong with the worker -- there really are a lot of good qualified people looking for work."
Editor's Note: This story has been updated to reflect that Lena Rouse received her master's degrees from DeVry's Keller Graduate School of Management.